News Release

Why didn’t the deer cross the road?

Edmonton wins national environment award for Wildlife Passage Program

The City of Edmonton has received national recognition for its Wildlife Passage Program from the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA). The City was presented with the 2015 CAMA Environment Award, in the over 100,000 population category, during the association’s national conference in Jasper, AB.

“CAMA is pleased to recognize the excellence demonstrated by the City of Edmonton for successfully planning for wildlife passage in the city for almost a decade.” said Robert Hughes, president of the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators and Chief Administrative Officer for Stratford, PE. “With its desire to maintain habitat connectivity and protect biodiversity among the city’s wildlife population, as well as to reduce human/wildlife conflict, Edmonton has created a model for others to follow.”

With 250 species of wildlife in Edmonton, including 178 bird species, 47 animals, 27 fish, two reptiles, five amphibians, public concern for safe wildlife movement through Edmonton was prevalent. This concern required collaboration between transportation engineers, drainage engineers, planners and ecologists to design and construct innovative, ecological infrastructure. As a result, in 2007, the City initiated a wildlife passage program. After nine years, this program and its guidelines have resulted in the design of 27 wildlife passage structures, in correlation with a reduction of wildlife collisions by 51% since the first wildlife passage was installed.

“I am very proud that our city is leading the way in this type of biodiversity work,” said Mayor Don Iveson. “As our city continues to grow, habitat connectivity becomes increasingly important in order to sustain a healthy ecosystem.”

CAMA’s Environment Award recognizes the commitment of a municipality to environmentally sustainable governance, to protecting the environment and to combating climate change. Awards are granted to programs, projects or services that have made a significant and positive impact on the environment. Ravenhill Group Inc. is the sponsor for the awards.

The City’s Wildlife Passage Guidelines are also a finalist in the 2015 Emerald Awards.